Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-02-24
From thu 70. Wayne Nsws.l
A STRANGE STORY.
THE REMARKABLE DEMoNSTRA-
TIoNs AT THE RUDIsILL HOME
n. 5000 STEAD. '

TIONS AT THE ERUDISILL HOME
- s-,-f STEAD. ...
Who can Explain Them From a Ma
terialistic Standpoint?
The belief in spiritualism, or the doc
trine of communication Of intelligence
from the unseen world, the great here
after, which is veiled from most human
penetration, with, mind that is of the
earth and earthly, is by no means new;
but so skeptical is the world of the ex-
istence of the phenomena by which this
communication il sought to be proven,
that the admission of ones belief in the
theories of spiritualists has often led to
his or her public censure, for not until
O few years past have people disassOcia-
ted the professors of spiritualism from
those who believe in demonology,
witchcraft or some other dire diabol-
ism. .L ..
The public performances of alleged
mediums who reveal, for price, the
faces of deceased relatives(?) and the
frequent exposures of their practices,
have not increased confidence in the
theory that disembodied spirits may
return to earth, hold converse with the
living, and, by means of physical mani
festations, attest their presence, re-
establish their identity, and even dis
cuss the causes and extent of their un-
happy wanderings.
Within three miles of the city of
Fort Wayne, and within easy view of
its church spires, resides family of
high respectability, whose home has
been the scene Of manifestations so
violent, and directed with such SEEM
ing method, that while they may not
prove the correctness of the spiritual
lists belief, yet are they certainly in
capable of satisfactory solution by a
course of reasoning entirely material
istic. And evidence of these particu-
lar phenomena are by no means lack
ing, and the witnesses embrace, besides
the afflicted family, persons whose OPP
portunities for accurate observation
have been most abundant and frequent.
The narrative that follows is printed
with the full consent of those most con-
cerned in its correct exposition, includ-
ing the family Physician ard the cler-
gyman, whose ministrations were
sought to give the immaterial presence
that rest it had failed to find in eterni-
ty. The Ne,Os is led to the publication
of these details, at this time, for the
reason that discharged employe at
the farm house seeks to make mer.
chandize of his more or less knowledge
of the facts; and the Netcs, as well as
those most directly concerned, prefers
| that the statement come rather from
an authenticated source than from the
mouth of a gossiping servant. l
Emanuel Rudisill died in the yeal
1880, at his comfortable home, on the
banks of the Wabash & and Erie Canal
He left behind him, besides agoodly
amount of wealth, reputation fo
| thifty husbandry and honesty that viii
long survive him. He had lived a
! peace with his neighbers and kins
: folk, and at peace they did not doub
his soul would be when they consigne,
his remains to the grave.
The household consisted of six per
sons, Mrs. Rudisill, sr., having die,
before her husband) namely, Mr.. Jaco
Rudisill, the only child, his wife, hi
.wife's sister, Kate, and three children
besides hired help which was increase
as the Iabors of the house and farm de
manded. The marriage of Jacob wa
; to the entire satisfaction of his fathe
. and mother. In his wife he found
very capable and loving help-mate, an
her sister, Kate, appears to share he
amiability. Nevertheless, the young ID
dy's appearance in the househol
aroused the old gentleman's antipathy
and because he thought that she Nigh
enjoy the benefits of his estate after hi
death, he grew to positively hate th
girl, treating her with GOODNESS an
aversion that she by no means desery
ed.
Shortly after his demise, queer noise
were heard in the house that could nc
be accounted for by any disturbance {
the elements, or by any known phys
.. cal cause. There would be rapping 8
I, = the door when no one stood at the thre.
1 hold There would be rattling at th
window, pounding on the house an
: other weird manifestations that wel
: greatly alarming. In time, these noise
became SO violent and continuous the
the family could not rest at night, an
: the little children cried out with frigt
from their sleepless pillows. Finally
the presence, or spirit, or whatever els
: this agency may be called, appeared t
single out Miss Katie, who was besiege
!. with such persistence, not to say ms
q lignity, that not only was her persona
: comfort sacrificed but her health wa
. seriously impaired and her very life W;
jeopardized.
An experience of the family phys
clan, DIR. G. w. Bowen, of this cit
will illustrate the extent of these al
: noyances. Late at night Mr.. Jacc
!, Rudisill came driving to his office
! hot haste. Miss Katie had been q
! tackled by the spirit, her life was eve
: then despaired Of. The physician, q
(, ter gathering a number of phials
= medicine, fastened to the house. I'll
: family had promised to ring the far
l bell if Miss Kate should meantime di
!. and it was with the livliest apprehe
7 sions for her safety that the physicif
! and Mr.. RudisilI hastened on their wa
! The young lady was found in state
\ collapse. She had been coughing f
y two hours and forty minutes, and h
L hysterical condition was so aggravatt
as to, betoken death If relief was n
speedily forthcoming. After admin
a tering an anaesthetic to stop the gir
e intense pain, DIR. Bowen clapped h
y hand tightly over the mouth, and 81
n began to breath through the nose ar
: ultimately was relieved. Miss Kat
y complained ON this, and other oceasi0
e of attack, that while she slept an inv
,r ible arm had encircled her thros
choking her, while her mind was fill,
with terror at the presence of a som